Official "I Ordered an Intel Mac Mini" Thread...

[xterm]

I have to goto uni now, ill try some bechmarking later on tonight

 

[xterm]

nice! so are you on the stock Core Solo with 512 RAM?

Stock Core Duo

 

[jsw]

Stock Core Duo

*** eyes mini box ***

*** weighs wrath of wife vs opening box ***

*** begins shaking uncontrollably ***

 

[bevo]

open...open...open...open...open...open...open...open...open...open...


fedex status page gives me an error now...

 

[generik]

I have my finger hovering over the Checkout button right now.

Damn it

I just clicked mine 10 mins ago

 

[yoda13]

What I'd like to know even more is - If this is the case why the hell do my nVidia 6800 Ultra DDL drivers suck so badly? Considering my DDL cost more than a Mac Mini.

Yeah, I would be upset if I were you, also. I guess the drivers would have to make the difference here I guess.

jsw, just open it man, just open it.

 

[generik]

Tell your wife you are starting a web hosting business with the mini

http://www.macminicolo.net

 

[yoda13]

Tell her what ever you have to tell her so you can open it....

 

[jsw]

If this had > 512MB it would be open now.

My willpower is strong tonight. I will wait a day or two to see if they get the loaded version in stock - I do want 1GB or more and don't look forward to adding it myself (usually not an issue... but too many mini horror stories for me to want to try).

If there's nothing by the weekend, I'll open the puppy. And by the weekend, I mean Friday. Or maybe tomorrow.

I think we've all seen that HD video won't be an issue. I think 1GB RAM or more will make these minis fly.

 

[yoda13]

Now, for my own clarification, just because it seems to be excelling at playing HD video, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will play any type of 3D game, am I correct, or should I hope that it might?

 

[jsw]

Now, for my own clarification, just because it seems to be excelling at playing HD video, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will play any type of 3D game, am I correct, or should I hope that it might?

I think they're very different beasts. H.264 is very CPU-intensive, something the core duo should excel at (and does, in my Intellimac). 3G games stress the GPU, so the performance should suffer a bit. But I'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

If I buy a 3D game for the Intel Mac(s), what should I get?

 

[yoda13]

Well, I am personally fond of C and C Generals and Sims 2. However, I don't know if the univeral binaries are out for them yet. I am looking forward to Call of Duty 2, but it won't be shipping for a while. Maybe someone else can chime in here with a good game, besides WOW which requires a monthly subscription, that is already out in a universal binary.

If anyone wants to tell me how WOW runs on a Mac Mini with Intel, that is great, I just didn't want jsw to have to get something with a monthly subscription to play, unless he just wants to!

 

[tjwett]

If this had > 512MB it would be open now.

My willpower is strong tonight. I will wait a day or two to see if they get the loaded version in stock - I do want 1GB or more and don't look forward to adding it myself (usually not an issue... but too many mini horror stories for me to want to try).

If there's nothing by the weekend, I'll open the puppy. And by the weekend, I mean Friday. Or maybe tomorrow.

I think we've all seen that HD video won't be an issue. I think 1GB RAM or more will make these minis fly.

wow, i didn't realize they would carry anything other than stock in the retail store. if mine hasn't shipped by morning i think i'm going to call and bump mine up to 2GB of RAM, maybe even spring for the bigger hdd. never thought i could spend $1200 on a mini.

 

[tjwett]

I think they're very different beasts. H.264 is very CPU-intensive, something the core duo should excel at (and does, in my Intellimac). 3G games stress the GPU, so the performance should suffer a bit. But I'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

If I buy a 3D game for the Intel Mac(s), what should I get?

something that is Universal binary for sure. i don't know if the mini even meets the minimum GPU requirements for the likes of Doom.

 

[jsw]

wow, i didn't realize they would carry anything other than stock in the retail store.

I don't think they usually do, but the one near me often orders beefed-up minis and certain other models.

 

[yoda13]

Yeah, that is a tough pill to swallow. I get an education discount since I teach at a uni, but on the mini, it is beans besically. I just think the size of the mini is so cool....oh well, maybe it will game a little...

 

[tjwett]

Yeah, that is a tough pill to swallow. I get an education discount since I teach at a uni, but on the mini, it is beans besically. I just think the size of the mini is so cool....oh well, maybe it will game a little...

i do most of the little gaming i do in the living room on the Gamecube. occasionally i'll play a round or two or Warcraft III or Myst Revelation but that's about it. i probably won't even get the opportunity to hate my mini for not being a proper gaming machine.

 

[jsw]

Yeah, that is a tough pill to swallow. I get an education discount since I teach at a uni, but on the mini, it is beans besically. I just think the size of the mini is so cool....oh well, maybe it will game a little...

Yeah... part of me is happy they might be getting beefier versions in at the local Store - because it'll give me a chance to think about this instead of just opening it up.

I love the mini's form factor, and I'd really like a Mac in the living room... but, yeah, $1000+ for a mini? Steep. We'll see.

 

[bevo]

hope its not too hard to upgrade the ram on the mini....


couldn't afford a BTO mini right now and I've been soo impatient about getting one.

 

[yoda13]

i do most of the little gaming i do in the living room on the Gamecube. occasionally i'll play a round or two or Warcraft III or Myst Revelation but that's about it. i probably won't even get the opportunity to hate my mini for not being a proper gaming machine.

I have both a PS2 and an xBox 360 for gaming. However, there are games like Tropico and Civilization IV, when it comes out that I want to be able to play. These are the games I really hope that the mini can play. We'll see.

 

[jsw]

...there are games like ... Civilization IV, when it comes out that I want to be able to play.

You and me both. I cannot wait for Civ IV - and I'm sure the minis will play it just fine.

 

[yoda13]

I sure hope so, I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to that game...

 

[risc]

Woo hoo go the over sized mini!

 

[iHeartTheApple]

1080P does not drop any frames either!

Oh yeah! Fricken' sweet! Glad to hear it and grats on the purchase!

 

[bevo]

does the mini take 240 pin DIMMs or So-DIMMs?


this is from curcial.com

* Crucial Part Number: CT516908
* Module Size: 1GB kit (512MBx2)
* Package: 240-pin DIMM
* Feature: DDR2 PC2-5300
* Configuration: 64Meg x 64
* DIMM Type: UNBUFFERED
* Error Checking: NON-ECC
* Speed: 667
* SDRAM Timings: CL=5
* Specs: DDR2 PC2-5300 • CL=5 • UNBUFFERED • NON-ECC • DDR2-667 • 1.8V • 64Meg x 64

apple's info page on the mini states

512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) on two DIMMs; supports up to 2GB